MVC WBB in the NET -- Belmont (69) leads six MVC teams that rank in the Top 120 of the NCAA NET rankings (through Feb. 25). Drake (71), UNI (101), Murray State (103), Missouri State (110), and Illinois State (120) are in the Top 120.
MVC Leaders, Non-Conf. Strength of Schedule
4. UNI
32. Belmont
51. Drake
86. Illinois State
20 Something -- Since the start of the 1992-93 season only three 20-win MVC teams have not participated in postseason play. All five 20-win MVC teams in 2022-23 reached post-season play. Drake picked up its 20th victory of the season on Feb. 17 with a win at Belmont. Belmont picked up No. 20 on Feb. 25 at Murray State. The Bulldogs enter this week with a two-game lead over Belmont in the MVC regular-season race. Illinois State (18) and Missouri State (18) could reach 20 wins this week.
What’s the Score? -- Murray State is fourth in the nation in scoring (86.1 points per game). The MVC single-season record was established in 1994-95 by Drake (83.5). Drake’s 80.6 figure this year ranks 14th in the NCAA. Both figures are among the best single-season team outputs in league history.
MVC Single-Season Leaders, Scoring
86.1 Murray State, 2023-24
83.5 Drake, 1994-95
82.8 Missouri State, 2000-01
82.7 Bradley, 1982-83
82.6 Drake, 2019-20
Warren Sets All-Time Mark -- UNI’s Tanya Warren has passed Cheryl Burnett (Missouri State) with 203 conference wins in her tenure in the MVC to match the league’s all-time record. Her 317 total wins as an MVC coach rank third-best all time in league history.
Coaching Wins, MVC Games Only
203 -- Tanya Warren, UNI (2008-present)
201 -- Cheryl Burnett, Missouri State (1988-02)
199 -- Cindy Scott, Southern Illinois (1983-98)
Coaching Wins, All Games
353 -- Cindy Scott, Southern Illinois (1983-98)
319 -- Cheryl Burnett, Missouri State (1988-02)
317 -- Tanya Warren, UNI (2008-present)
1000-Point Scorers -- Active MVC players to eclipse 1,000 career points (through 2/25/2024).
Career Leaders -- Total Points*
Katelyn Young, Murray State 2,161
Grace Berg, Drake 1,773
Chelsea Cain, Indiana State 1,474
DeAnna Wilson, Illinois State 1,449
Jaida McCloud, UIC 1,286
Maya McDermott, UNI 1,182
Grace Boffeli, UNI 1,155
Katie Dinnebier, Drake 1,153
Olivia Brown, Valparaiso 1,134
Hannah McKay, Murray State 1,099
Leah Earnest, Valparaiso 1,008
Emerson Green, UNI 999
*includes games at previous schools
Katelyn Climbs -- Murray State’s Katelyn Young ranks third on the all-time Racer scoring list in women’s basketball. She’s 31 points from surpassing former Murray State star Ke’Shuman James for second place.
Murray State Career Leaders -- Total Points
2,287 -- Sheila Smith (1985-89)
2,191 -- Ke’Shuman James (2014-18)
2,161 -- Katelyn Young (current)
2,087 -- Macey Turley (2018-23)
2,007 -- Ashley N. Hayes (2005-09)
MVC Preseason Poll -- UNI was tabbed as the preseason favorite in the MVC Women’s Basketball race in the annual survey of the league’s coaches, SIDs and media.
2023-24 MVC WBB Preseason Poll
Rank Team (1st-place) Pts.
1. UNI (33) 517
2. Drake (12) 482
3. Illinois State (2) 433
4. Belmont (1) 401
5. Missouri State 382
6. UIC 311
7. Murray State 308
8. Southern Illinois 295
9. Indiana State 200
10. Valparaiso 162
11. Evansville 137
12. Bradley 116
Big Number Quarters -- Murray State has scored at least 25 points in 31 quarters this season, and 10 quarters with at least 30 points. Overall, Valley teams have exploded for 25 or more points in 122 quarters, 2 with 26 quarters of 30 or more. Conference-wide, the most popular quarter for a 25+plus is the fourth (39), while half of the 26 30+plus point quarters have come in the third period.
Team 25-Pt. Qtrs 30-Pt. Qtrs
Murray State 31 10
Illinois State 18 2
Drake 14 6
UNI 13 2
Southern Illinois 9 0
Missouri State 8 2
Evansville 8 1
Belmont 7 0
UIC 6 1
Valparaiso 4 1
Bradley 3 1
Totals 122 26
Select Company -- Katie Dinnebier of Drake is one of just three NCAA Division I women’s basketball players to average better than 6.0 assists and 2.5 steals per game. She’s the only player to average better than 10.0 points (18.3), 6.0 assists (6.9) and 2.5 assists (2.5).
NCAA WBB Leaders (6.0 APG, 2.5 SPG)
PPG APG SPG
Ines Vieira, Utah 7.8 6.1 2.64
Katie Dinnebier, Drake 18.3 6.9 2.52
Mama Dembele, Missouri 9.9 6.6 3.20
Double Trouble
Your MVC women’s basketball double-double leaders, through games of Saturday, Feb. 25.
MVC Double-Double Leaders
12 -- Anna Miller, Drake
10 -- Katelyn Young, Murray State
9 -- Laniah Randle, Southern Illinois
7 -- Grace Boffeli, UNI
7 -- DeAnna Wilson, Illinois State
6 -- Leah Earnest, Valparaiso
6 -- Kennedy Taylor, Missouri State
Block Party -- A pair of MVC student-athletes continue to climb the league’s all-time chart for career blocks. Anna Miller of Drake has 197 rejections and ranks sixth all-time in MVC history. Kate Bullman of Illinois State enters the week with 176 career blocks to rank ninth all-time in the MVC.
MVC Career Leaders, Blocked Shots
337 - Cassie Hager, UNI (2002-06)
260 - Nicolle Lewis, Illinois State (2005-10)
221 - Sharon Zeilmann, Missouri State (1983-87)
218 - Tammi Blackstone, Drake (1996-00)
212 - Shannon Thomas, Indiana State (2008-12)
197 - Anna Miller, Drake (2021-present)
197 - Dena Williams, Bradley (2002-05)
177 - Leslie Ferrell, Illinois State (1986-89)
176 - Kate Bullman, Illinois State (2020-pres.)
175 - Carla Bennett, Drake (1999-03)
175 - Sonya Harris, Bradley (2007-10)
It’s a Steal -- Katie Dinnebier of Drake leads five MVC student-athletes who rank in the Top 120 of the NCAA in steals per game. Dinnebier has 2.52 steals per game to lead the MVC and rank No. 35 nationally. Southern Illinois leads the league and ranks 10th in the NCAA with 11.6 steals per game, leading eight MVC schools who rank in the Top 140 in SPG.
MVC in the NCAA Stats (Steals per game)
1. Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame 4.89
35. Katie Dinnebier, Drake 2.52
59. Quierra Love, Southern Illinois 2.27
61. Tuti Jones, Belmont 2.26
79. Laniah Randle, Southern Illinois 2.19
120. Lacy Stokes, Missouri State 2.00
MVC in the NCAA Stats (Steals per game)
1. Niagara (MAAC) 14.7
10. Southern Illinois 11.6
55. Valparaiso 9.7
86. UIC 9.0
106. Murray State 8.5
117. Drake 8.4
129. Indiana State 8.2
137. Missouri State 8.1
140. Belmont 8.1
Getting to the Line -- Led by Illinois State’s 16.31 average, eight MVC teams rank among the NCAA’s Top 100 in free throws made per game this season. The Redbirds are No. 8 nationally and are joined in the national Top 10 by Murray State (9th-best at 16.04).
MVC in the NCAA Stats (FT Made per game)
1. LSU (SEC) 576-778 20.57
8. Illinois State 424-546 16.31
9. Murray State 401-509 16.04
17. Evansville 420-595 15.56
18. UIC 419-617 15.52
37. Drake 392-498 14.52
39. Indiana State 376-507 14.46
55. S. Illinois 364-527 14.00
94. Belmont 351-486 13.00
National Leader -- UNI’s Maya McDermott leads the nation in free throw percentage. Four other MVC student-athletes are in the Top 90, including Murray State’s Katelyn Young (19th, 88.7), Drake’s Katie Dinnebier (23rd, 88.0), Illinois State’s Maya Wong (59th, 84.7), and Murray State’s Haven Ford (90th, 82.1). Murray State’s 78.8 percentage as a team ranks 12th, while Drake is right behind (13th, 78.7).
MVC Leaders, Free Throw Percentage
1. Maya McDermott, UNI 63-66 95.5
2. Ja’Niah Henson, Texas St. 100-107 93.5
3. Hayley Frank, Missouri 70-75 93.3
4. Nylah Young, William & Mary 99-108 91.7
19. Katelyn Young, Murray State 94-106 88.7
23. Katie Dinnebier, Drake 147-167 88.0
59. Maya Wong, Illinois State 100-118 84.7
90. Haven Ford, Murray State 69-84 82.1
MVC All-Time Mark, Single-Season FT Pct.
.955 - Jacqui Kalin, UNI (2012-13)
.955 - Maya McDermott, UNI (2023-24)
.949 - Mallory Ladd, Evansville (2012-13)
.933 - Kelsey Luna, Indiana State (2009-10)
.913 - Samantha Heck, Evansville (2012-13)
Bench Play -- Murray State continues to lead the nation in scoring from its bench, averaging 37.1 points from its non-starters. Six MVC teams rank in the Top 105.
NCAA WBB Leaders, Bench Scoring
1. Murray State 37.1
2. Grambling (SWAC) 33.5
3. South Carolina 32.7
4. George Mason (A-10) 30.1
5. UMES (MEAC) 29.7
6. UIC 29.6
43. Illinois State 23.4
68. Missouri State 21.8
71. UNI 21.5
105. Bradley 20.2